1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a solarium structure, and particularly to a solarium structure including a sloped roof frame and vertical wall frame, the sloped roof frame mounted on the vertical wall frame so as to be angularly adjusted relative to each other, and the sloped roof frame and the vertical wall frame being joined to each other in such a way to prevent draft and light from passing therebetween.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical solarium structure of the type described is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,704. The disclosed solarium structure is comprised of a sloped roof frame and a vertical wall frame, the sloped roof frame having a plurality of rafters and a plurality of purlins interconnected to provide a chessboard-like pattern frame, the vertical wall frame having a plurality of heads, a plurality of sills and a plurality of vertical mullions interconnected to thus provide a chessboard-like pattern frame. The rafters of the sloped roof frame are disposed in vertical alignment with and mitered to the corresponding vertical mullions of the vertical wall frame so that the sloped roof frame is mounted on the vertical wall frame.
Each head of the vertical wall frame has an elongated circular-arc surface disposed on the top, formed throughout the entire length thereof and extending arcuately backward. Each bottom purlin of the sloped roof frame is of a channel-cross-section and is comprised of a base and a pair of top and lower plates, the upper plate extending forward and having a downward-projecting engaging tip. The engaging tip of the bottom purlin is adapted for line-to-surface engagement with the circular arc-surface of the head.
This solarium structure, however, suffers from some drawbacks.
The lower end of each rafter and the upper end of the respective vertical mullion are only butt-fitted to each other and there is no means for joining the rafter end and the mullion end firmly against displacing from each other, especially laterally thereof. In order to make up for the lack of specific joining means, each bottom purlin joining the lower ends of each adjacent rafters must be fastened to the respective head joining the upper ends of each adjacent vertical mullions by screwing them at intervals. This fastening operation of the bottom purlins to the respective heads is very tedious and time-consuming.
Furthermore, since the engaging tip of the bottom purlin is in line-to-surface engagement with the circular-arc-surface of the head; the tip is more likely to be detached from the circular-arc surface of the head--especially when the sloped roof frame is under distortion due to heavy wind road--to thus provide gaps through which draft and light pass.
With the foregoing difficulties in view, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solarium structure which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and to install at a job site and highly strong even under heavy stresses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a solarium structure wherein the sloped roof frame is easy to angularly adjust relative to the vertical wall frame in conformity with the angle at which the corresponding ends of the rafter and the mullion are mitered to each other.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a solarium structure where draft and light are well prevented from passing between the sloped roof frame and the vertical wall frame.
According to the present invention, there is provided a solarium structure comprising a vertical wall frame; a sloped roof frame mounted thereon; the vertical wall frame including two mullions and a head joined at the opposed ends with the sides of the upper ends of the mullions, the head having a first-mentioned circular-arc surface formed throughout the entire length thereof; the sloped roof including two rafters and a bottom purlin joined at the opposed ends with the sides of the lower ends of the rafters, the bottom purlin having a second-mentioned circular-arc surface formed throughout the entire length thereof; the lower ends of the rafters being mitered to the upper ends of mullions; the bottom purlin being placed on the head with the second-mentioned circular-arc surface of the former coming into surface-to-surface engagement with the first-mentioned circular-arc surface of the latter so that the head and bottom purlin can be angularly adjusted to each other and so that draft and light can be prevented from passing between the sloped roof frame and the vertical wall frame; and means for joining the lower ends of the rafters and the upper ends of mullions so as to be angularly adjusted to each other.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrating sample.